episode

noun

ep·​i·​sode ˈe-pə-ˌsōd 

also

-ˌzōd 

1

: a usually brief unit of action in a dramatic or literary work: such as

a

: the part of an ancient Greek tragedy between two choric songs

b

: a developed situation that is integral to but separable from a continuous narrative : incident

c

: one of a series of loosely connected stories or scenes

d

: the part of a serial presented at one performance

2

: an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series

3

: a digressive subdivision in a musical composition

Synonyms

• affair
• circumstance
• event
• hap
• happening
• incident
• occasion
• occurrence
• thing

Choose the Right Synonym for episode

occurrence, event, incident, episode, circumstance mean something that happens or takes place.

occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan.

an encounter that was a chance occurrence

event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause.

the events following the assassination

incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance.

a minor wartime incident

episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident.

a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work

circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background.

couldn't recall the exact circumstances

Examples of episode in a Sentence

It was a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work.

He tried to forget the whole embarrassing episode.

a painful episode from my childhood

Millions of people are expected to watch the show's final episode.

Recent Examples on the Web

The entire episode was simply bizarre to outsiders to whom South Korea embodies democratic values and technological prowess—not to mention zeitgeist-defining cultural exports from K-pop to Squid Game—when compared to the Stalinist North. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 Apr. 2025

The pair returned once more for the 2009 episode ‘Old Times’ during the show’s final season. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025

The hourlong episodes of Reunion were directed by Luke Snellin (One Day, Wanderlust) who also served as executive producer, with Helen Ostler (The Last Kingdom, Crime) as producer, and Siobhan Morgan (Waterloo Road, Hollyoaks) as associate producer. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 Apr. 2025

Thieriot then further tees up this Friday night’s episode, which marks the second appearance by upcoming Sheriff Country spinoff star Morena Baccarin, as Sheriff Mickey Fox, and introduces W. Earl Brown as Mickey’s father, Wes. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek epeisodion, from neuter of epeisodios coming in besides, from epi- + eisodios coming in, from eis into (akin to Greek en in) + hodos road, journey — more at in

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing episode

• bottle episode

Rhymes for episode

• afterload
• internode
• microcode
• multimode
• nematode
• nesselrode
• overflowed
• overload
• overrode
• radioed
• torpedoed
• trematode

Kids Definition

episode

noun

ep·​i·​sode ˈep-ə-ˌsōd 

: an event that is part of a longer story or of history or a life but which is viewed as complete by itself

episodic

ˌep-ə-ˈsäd-ik

adjective

Medical Definition

episode

noun

ep·​i·​sode

ˈep-ə-ˌsōd also -ˌzōd

: an event that is distinctive and separate although part of a larger series

especially : an occurrence of a usually recurrent pathological abnormal condition

a manic episode

hypoglycemic episodes

episodic

ˌep-ə-ˈsäd-ik also -ˈzäd-

adjective

episodically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb